Thursday, November 16, 2006

Mother of autistic child reacts to news of expelled, handcuffed student with Aspergers.

Mother of autistic child reacts to news of expelled, handcuffed student with Aspergers. From the Daily Gleaner, Fredericton New Brunswick, November 16, 2006.

Letters | Reader objects to actions taken by high school

As published on page B7 on November 16, 2006

On Oct. 27, 2006, I sat nervously watching Andy Scott speak on behalf of the thousands of autistic children across Canada fighting for their rights as Canadian citizens.

As a mother of a young autistic child, it brought tears to my eyes, and filled me with hope, and joy, that maybe, someday every province will help autistic children to the fullest of their ability.

I was so very amazed at the fact that a Grade 12 class from Leo Hayes High school, taught by a Mr. Greg Peters, took on this project, and fought so hard for this issue to be brought to the House's attention (kudos to you!).

However, the same school that prides itself in this accomplishment had a young boy handcuffed, and kicked out, a student who suffers from Asperger's Syndrome (which is a type of Autism).

Whether or not this young boy can become aggressive is not the issue. The issue at hand is that this boy is not getting the necessary help and support that he needs to live a productive life.

The principal of Leo Hayes High School should be ashamed as this is unfair and improper treatment. You can easily discourage a child with Autism, and I am sure that this young boy has not had an easy life, yet you kick him out of school? Handcuff him?

The school that has students who are trying to help these children? What type of an example are you setting for this Grade 12 class that worked so hard on their project, fought so hard to have everyone's voices heard?

Treatment like this is why it scares my husband and me every day to let our son enter the school system. We fear that ignorance like this will challenge his life even more.

101 Noteworthy Sites on Asperger's & Autism Spectrum Disorders

Facing Autism on Facebook

Why ABA For Autism?

The effectiveness of ABA-based intervention in ASDs has been well documented through 5 decades of research by using single-subject methodology21,25,27,28 and in controlled studies of comprehensive early intensive behavioral intervention programs in university and community settings.29–40 Children who receive early intensive behavioral treatment have been shown to make substantial, sustained gains in IQ, language, academic performance, and adaptive behavior as well as some measures of social behavior, and their outcomes have been significantly better than those of children in control groups.31–4American Academy of Pediatrics, Management of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

"We have to look also at environmental factors, and from my point of view, the interaction between the genetic factors and the environmental factors ... It looks like some shared environmental factors play a role in autism, and the study really points toward factors that are early in life that affect the development of the child"
Joachim Hallmayer, MD, associate professor of psychiatry at Stanford University in California

Even Out Environmental and Genetic Autism Research Funding

Right now, about 10 to 20 times more research dollars are spent on studies of the genetic causes of autism than on environmental ones.

We need to even out the funding.

Irva Hertz-Picciotto, UC Davis M.I.N.D. Institute Researcher

My Autism Pledge For Conor

Today I pledge to continue;I Pledge to continue to fight for the availability of effective autism treatments;I Pledge to continue to fight for a real education for autistic children;I Pledge to continue to fight for decent residential care for autistic adults;I Pledge to continue to fight for a cure for autism;I Pledge to continue finding joy in my son but not in the autism disorder that restricts his life;Today, and every day, I Pledge to continue to hope for a better life for Conor and others with autism, through accommodation, care, respect, treatment, and some day, a cure;Today, and every day, I Pledge to continue to fight for the best possible life for Conor, my son with autistic disorder.

Dr. Jon Poling : Blinders Won’t Reduce Autism

"Fortunately, the ‘better diagnosis’ myth has been soundly debunked. ... only a smaller percentage of this staggering rise can be explained by means other than a true increase.

Because purely genetic diseases do not rise precipitously, the corollary to a true autism increase is clear — genes only load the gun and it is the environment that pulls the trigger. Autism is best redefined as an environmental disease with genetic susceptibilities."

We should be investing our research dollars into discovering environmental factors that we can change, not more poorly targeted genetic studies that offer no hope of early intervention. Pesticides, mercury, aluminum, several drugs, dietary factors, infectious agents and yes — vaccines — are all in the research agenda.